Uberti 1851 Navy Conversion Cylinder .38 Special 5.5 in Blue CH

Beginning in 1868, thousands of black powder Colt revolvers and Remington percussion revolvers were converted to cartridge revolvers. Among them: the 1851 Navy, 1858 New Army, and 1860 Army. Remington was the first to introduce single action cartridge conversion revolvers in 1868. The original cap-and-ball cylinder of the 1858 New Army cartridge revolver was replaced by a cartridge cylinder with a loading gate and a new breech face. The frame was dovetailed to accept an ejector assembly. The Remington conversion chambered five, .46-caliber rimfire cartridges. In 1871, Colt began filling civilian orders for thier metallic cartridge revolvers. These were an open-top conversion of the 1851 Navy. The next design was introduced in 1873, when Colt produced the Richards-Mason conversion of the 1860 Army. Using a system patented by Colt employees Charles Richards and William Mason, the old cap and ball cylinders were cut down at the back to permit the installation of a conversion ring to accept metallic cartridges.